Beyoncé’s Reclaim of Country

By Carson Hanna Last updated Apr 19, 2024

The American Dream, as criticized by Beyoncé’s “COWBOY CARTER,” risks collective memory and social justice. PHOTO CREDIT: ED SCHIPUL via FLICKR

By now, most of us have heard Beyoncé’s most recent #1 hit, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” and seen its use in viral TikTok dances. Unsurprisingly, her new album, “COWBOY CARTER,” has been topping the charts and has been critically praised. The country album has sparked a conversation about the role of representation in the country music of today. For a genre that was created by Black musicians, it is shocking that they are seemingly absent from today’s mainstream country music scene.

Legendary country acts like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash have accredited much of their musical knowledge to Black country artists like Rufus Payne and Gus Cannon. Somehow, these Black artists never achieved the same amount of success as the white musicians they taught. It is evident that there has been a purposeful gatekeeping of Black musicians from entering the country scene, including Beyoncé, who had to fight to be played on country radio this year.

This isn’t the first time Beyoncé has dabbled in country music. Some of you may remember her 2016 CMA Awards performance of “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks. The performance received backlash from some country artists and fans who felt that she had no place in country music and saw it as a disgrace. Others found it to be a beaming statement of representation in country music. But that was only the beginning.

On “COWBOY CARTER,” Beyoncé revives country music from its deep roots in Black History. On the record, she pays respect to Linda Martell, the first Black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. In “YA YA,” she sings, “History can’t be replaced. Are you lookin’ for a new America?” Bold lyrics like this call out the historical erasure of Black musicians in country music that has been occurring for decades.

In “BLACKBIRD,” Beyoncé shares the spotlight with other Black female country singers such as Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy. The exposure that comes from being featured on a Beyoncé record has increased the number of listeners of these artists by millions. With these new followers, we can hope that Beyoncé will not be the last and only Black woman to have a #1 country album.

The music itself has been received well by critics and fans alike. Soft, mellow ballads like “BLACKBIRD” and “DAUGHTER” show a tender side of Beyoncé that we don’t always see from her. We see her at her most cathartic and self-realized on this record. However, songs like “TYRANT” prove that she is still a force to be reckoned with. A personal favorite of mine is the powerhouse Western anthem “16 CARRIAGES.” Oh, and grab your cowboy/cowgirl hats and boots for the easy-to-dance-to-track “BODYGUARD.”

With country legends like Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton making appearances to support Beyoncé, the album is sure to delight fans of Beyoncé and country music fans alike. It’s not just an amazing country album; it is an amazing album on its own, crafted by one of our generation’s greatest talents. Hopefully, the mountainous success of “COWBOY CARTER” furthers a mission to make country music a more inclusive place for Black artists.